SWAT Workout

Marksmanship and the muscles

By creating high levels of focus and concentration, a SWAT officer can steady his mind and body to achieve a state of pure precision. Before a single weapon is fired, the melding of the physical and the psychological must take place. One key way to introduce this concept to the body is through static holds. During normal exercise movements, implement a momentary hold before the explosive, positive movement.

SWAT exercise: Lateral raises Start with dumbbells in front of you. Slowly bring them up to the side, tipping the weight slightly inward as if you were pouring milk. Before leveling, stop, hold for 2 seconds. Then, slowly bring down to original position.

3 sets of 12 reps — 15 to 20 pounds

SWAT exercise: Wide lat pull-downs (cable) Using a false grip (without thumbs wrapped around), pull the bar down to your upper chest. Hold at the bottom for 2 seconds. Slowly release and return to original position.

3 sets of 10 reps — 90 to 150 pounds

SWAT exercise: Bench press (flat) Bring the weighted bar down to your chest, pausing for a 2 second hold ½ inch from the bottom. Exhale, and explode upward.

3 Sets of 10 Reps — 90 to 135 pounds

Morale and mental fitness

When dealing with life-or-death situations that involve intense psychological pressure, SWAT team members find themselves harboring stress, leading to depression. These beleaguered mental states can upset the delicate balance that keeps theses officers sharp. That’s why meditation and flexibility classes help the SWAT team unwind.

SWAT exercise: Basic yoga class 1 hour, 3 times per week

stay strong

Of course, besides basic physical fitness and mental alertness, most SWAT agencies maintain a secret amount of insider technique shared only with team members. These unique “tricks of the trade” range from elite martial arts takedowns to “go pills” that provide a “skip in the step” far beyond what Red Bull provides. Nevertheless, with lives on the line and an important job that must be done, SWAT teams stay as strong and as agile as they can, always one step ahead of the bad guys.